Harry Truman was an angry man, given to firing off unwise attacks. Richard Nixon was vindictive and paranoid. Andrew Jackson was a hater. Warren G. Harding, a featherhead who surrounded himself with crooks.
We've had flawed presidents before. Though never have all these negative qualities and more been bound up in a single individual, such as the one who will put his hand on a Bible at noon Friday and swear to uphold the Constitution.
The tendency is to point, horrified, at the latest offense. My God, he's slurring civil rights icon John Lewis! He's carping about Saturday Night Live, days before his inauguration!
And I'm glad someone is keeping score Though, to me, there is a futility in professing shock when somebody behaves exactly as he always behaves. Given Donald Trump's well-established track record as a liar, a bully and a fraud, each new instance of lying, bullying and fraud can hardly come as a surprise. The hope that his getting elected would change anything vanished in the past months of serial pettiness. The presidency will not elevate Trump; he will degrade it, and us. I don't believe that slapping your forehead every time he says something grotesque will do anything but give you a bruised forehead. It sure didn't keep him from being elected.
To continue reading, click here.
I think that Trump will do such a good job of discrediting the GOP that we might learn as a society to start thinking instead of just acting like partisans.
ReplyDeleteMy fear is that he will do the standard CEO thing: sell out tomorrow for success today. A billion bucks to go to Mars? No problem -- good for the brand and the grandkids can pay for it. Close the trade border -- lots of jobs come back to the U.S., which will disappear when the economy tanks on the next guy's watch. Lower taxes and privatize schools, security, prisons, courts, everything -- what's good for business will make America great...for some people anyway.
ReplyDeletejohn
That yellow White House picture, symbol of Trump's predilection for gold or golden showers? I guess it could be both. I said to my husband the other day I need to stop reacting to all of the Trump crazy or I'll be constantly bruised or concussed from face palms and head shakes. This is going to be a long four years.
ReplyDeleteGolden hair as well. You'd think staid, traditional, practical middle class America would shun a 70-year-old man who colors his hair and brags about his money. Wrong again!
ReplyDeletejohn
Like hillary or Obama would be better?
ReplyDeleteLike yes.
DeleteAs a certified elitist, I say, "YES."
ReplyDeletejohn
P.S. Maybe I'm just jealous, however, because my hair is white and I don't have any money to brag about.
My only hope is that once it becomes clear to Trump that the presidency requires him to do things he doesn't want to do--in other words, that it's a job--he'll get bored/irritated enough to do a Sarah Palin.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that would leave us in the hands of Mike Pence, which probably would be worse.
Bitter Scribe
I quite like what Obama said he said to his daughters: "It's not the end of the world until it's the end of the world." The GOP survived eight years on the political outs. What the Democrats need to do is work to limit the damage and figure out how to take back the Congress.
ReplyDeleteTom Evans
The Republicans are magicians with the ability to "cloud men's minds."
ReplyDeleteDon't know if the Democrats ought to emulate them.
john
Not a Trump fan but I don't believe those golden shower in Russia stories. He's too domineering and would rather piss on others in more ways than one.
ReplyDelete